The Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah
This post, The Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah , may contain affiliate links, which means Happy Hive Homeschooling may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year, a fall holiday that calls for both rejoicing and serious introspection. According to Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the world and also the time of divine judgment…
The date for Rosh Hashanah varies each year. This is because Jewish Holidays are celebrated based on the Lunar Calendar, not the Gregorian Calendar. Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on the first day and completes at nightfall after 2 days.
This is a guest post written by our friends at Homeschool On the Range.
“On Rosh Hashanah all human beings pass before Him as troops, as it is said, ‘the Lord looks down from heaven, He sees all mankind. From His dwelling place He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all, who discerns all their doings.’” – Rabbi Dr. Reuven Hammer
The new year is a joyous time filled with family, friends, and food, but it is also an opportunity to reflect on your actions of the past year, and to consider ways to improve in the next. Tashlich, which literally translates to “casting off,” is a ceremony performed on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah. During this ceremony, Jews symbolically cast off the sins of the previous year by tossing bread crumbs into flowing water. People think of things they’ve done wrong in the past year and then “throw them away,” promising improvement in the coming year.
Services are held in synagogues, and during the liturgy, there are blasts from a ram’s horn, the shofar. The call of the shofar sounds like a person or an animal wailing, and serves to remind Jews to call out to the Divine and change their lives for the better. Many people gather for large family meals on Rosh Hashanah. The challah and apples are dipped in honey, representing hopes for a sweet new year. Honey cake and apple cake are common desserts at the end of this festive meal.
Be sure to wish your family and friends, “L’Shanah Tovah,” a happy and sweet new year!
Special thanks to Yvie for this post.
Yvie is a veteran homeschooling mom and high school counselor and teaches online co-op classes for upper grades at Sparks Academy. She helps to create unit studies and enjoys helping other families on their homeschool journey. When not teaching or counseling, she enjoys reading, spending time in her garden, and traveling the country with her boys. You can find her at Homeschool On the Range, on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
You can read more about Rosh Hashanah the Jewish new year in this post: WHAT IS ROSH HASHANAH?
Jewish Year 5785: Sunset October 2, 2024 – Nightfall October 4, 2024
Jewish Year 5786: Sunset September 22, 2025 – Nightfall September 24, 2025
Jewish Year 5787: Sunset September 11, 2026 – Nightfall September 13, 2026
Jewish Year 5788: Sunset October 1, 2027 – Nightfall October 3, 2027
Jewish Year 5789: Sunset September 20, 2028 – Nightfall September 22, 2028
Jewish Year 5790: Sunset September 9, 2029 – Nightfall September 11, 2029
Jewish Year 5791: Sunset September 27, 2030 – Nightfall September 29, 2030
Can’t celebrate this year – Mark your calendar & save this holiday for next year!
You can also pin the image below to your Pinterest boards to save this fantastic holiday!
Return to main calendar HERE
Want Ideas for celebrating in your inbox every day? Sign up for our Holiday of the Day newsletter and get everything you need for easy Holiday Celebrations!